In short, the recipe to successful teams is cultivating a space where talented people can feel safe in contributing to the team.
Recipe to Successful Teams
MOM calls for public feedback on Employment Claims Tribunal
MOM calls for public feedback on Employment Claims Tribunal
The current Labour Court under the Employment Act only covers workers who earn less than $4,500 per month regarding their salary disputes. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is considering establishing the ECT to expand this scope to include all employees (except public servants, domestic workers and seafarers for the time being). The detailed proposal can be found here. The public has until 23 March 2016 to give feedback.
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Poem: operation beside private development
its arm bled leaves. an orphaned
stub remained, stoic, silent.
the worker wielded a long blade
expertly, sawing at bone; dust
and sound of blunt metal on wood
flecked onto lifeless leaves.
I saw the whole row of them
standing in line, waiting for execution,
by the metal fence. on the other side,
infant shrubs watched listlessly.
we draw lines with surgical precision
dividing organ and waste, yours and ours,
cutting flesh and soul to which
none of us belong.
Household Incomes and the Future of Jobs in Singapore
I read the Straits Times reports “Household income up, with biggest rise for poorer families“, “Policy changes ‘helped boost wages at bottom’“, “Face up to slower growth and productivity push: Lim Swee Say“, “Better quality jobs in future amid slower growth: Lim Swee Say” (27 February 2016) with interest.
In short, households with at least 1 working adult saw their household income increase in 2014. The bottom 10% households saw the largest increase with 10.7%; bottom 20th percentile was 8.3%; bottom 30th percentile was 7.2%. This was attributable to the Government’s redistributive policies including the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS). The other reason attributable is the tightening of foreign labour. This increased wages especially at the bottom percentile income-earners.
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Tropical Forestry Venture Investment Scam: How to Obtain Recompense?
I read the Straits Times report “Investors cry foul over tree investments gone wrong” (25 February 2016) with sadness. My heart goes out to the many investors who put in their savings and hard earned money into the scam. In short, investors put in money into a Tropical Forestry Venture(S) Pte Ltd to invest in valuable tree saplings. Turns out to be a scam. The people behind the company disappeared with the cash. But what can be done for these investors to seek justice?
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“Do more to protect higher-skilled workers: NTUC”
Do more to protect higher-skilled workers: NTUC, Straits Times (25 February 2016)
HR and employment matters can turn very ugly when employees are terminated, retrenched or dismissed. Anger and bitterness resulting in potential long-drawn disputes and litigation can actually be avoided if employers and HR professionals apply the fundamental Golden Rule to employees who are being asked to leave.
Unions offer a form of protection and support. Legal counsel is an even more important way because then one would know what the legal rights are and how to negotiate for a fair and peaceable outcome for all.
Case Update: Chng Weng Wah v Goh Bak Heng [2016] SGCA 09 – SGCA clarifies and applies law on order for account and equitable defence of laches
Case Update: Chng Weng Wah v Goh Bak Heng [2016] SGCA 09 – Singapore Court of Appeal clarifies and applies law on order for account and equitable defence of laches
Significance: Singapore Court of Appeal clarifies law on order for account under equity and equitable doctrine or defence of laches.
Case Update: Sim Yong Teng and another v Singapore Swimming Club [2016] SGCA 10 – SGCA rules on breach of natural justice due to bias and prejudgment by management committee of a private association
Case Update: Sim Yong Teng and another v Singapore Swimming Club [2016] SGCA 10
Significance: Singapore Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and held that the trial judge should have disqualified all six members of a management committee from hearing a complaint against the appellant on the ground that they had prejudged the complaint against him, and that the administrative law principle of necessity had no application in the circumstances of the case. The Court opined that, as a matter of law, the principle of necessity is not applicable to private associations such as the respondent club but only to public bodies. Private associations may always change their rules if necessary without having to breach the rules of natural justice in any disciplinary proceedings against any of their members.
Case Update: HT S.R.L. v Wee Shuo Woon [2016] SGHC 15 – clarifying confidentiality, privilege & admissibility
HT S.R.L. v Wee Shuo Woon [2016] SGHC 15
Significance: Singapore High Court holds that privileged & confidential emails obtained by a hacker and leaked onto WikiLeaks retain the protection of privilege & confidentiality. Court ordered for emails to be expunged from the defendant’s affidavits.
The Straits Times Opinion: Why a Constitutional Commission to review the Elected Presidency?
My Straits Times Opinion Article
I wrote an OpEd for the Straits Times, “Why a Constitutional Commission to review the Elected Presidency?”, explaining the background to the recently appointed Constitutional Commission, which is only the 2nd one since independence. The previous one was in 1966.
I opined on why the PAP Government did so when it had never found the need for it regarding all its constitutional amendments since 1966. I suggest the new political context where a PAP Government-backed candidate may plausibly lose the vote. This is amidst the backdrop of societies and voters moving further left in economic policies and also rising sensitivities as regards ethnic-religious minorities.
Update: make submissions to the constitutional commission
Submit in writing, signed, by 21 March, 5 PM. There may be public hearings for clarification and elaboration.
Submissions can be in Malay, Chinese, Tamil or English and need to be typed or legibly written by hand. The submissions must also be signed, whether in hardcopy or PDF form.
The precise dates of the public hearings will be announced in due course, but these will likely take place over a limited number of days between April 18 and May 15, 2016.
The submissions must be addressed to the Constitutional Commission Secretariat, and sent by post to 1, Supreme Court Lane, Singapore 178879, or e-mail to CCSecretariat@supcourt.gov.sg.